Shades of Gray
by Licensetocreep
Summary: There is good, evil, and those trapped between the two. They struggle for their place in the world. Now one of them faces a power greater then anything she could have imagined. It could tear her apart, or be her saving grace. ColeOFC set after season 8.
1. A Change To Color

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of Charmed. If I did, well, I personally would have done the last few seasons a little differently, but enough of that! For that is why I write fanfic AND watch the old seasons on dvd. Lets hear it for nostalgia! Any and all OC's are MINE! Mmhm, and you can't have them!

Songs used are Three Days Grace: One-X, Linkin Park: Somewhere I Belong, and Linkin Park: What I've Done.

A grand amount of special thanks to Brittney and Rave, for all of your editing and support.

**Shades of Gray**

Chapter One: A Change to Color

_We are the ones  
We get knocked down  
We get back up and stand above the crowd  
We are one_

"Thank goddess it's Friday,"

I couldn't help but agree with her. Ok, so our jobs weren't exactly the most stressful or the most complicated, but damnit its still a JOB!

There was an upside though. Can't get fired when the boss is…well..you.

"Britt, what did you even do all week?" tall dark and skinny asked.

"I offered entertainment and…valuable customer service!"

"Playing guitar all week is not customer service!"

"It is too Jeff! I played good music, music that we sell on cds and t-shirts. Its my own form of subliminal messaging."

I had to laugh and agree with her all at once. Hey, our sales had gone up quite a bit this week, maybe it was actually working.

"Hey, if it keeps us in pizza and Tripp pants, I'm all for it!" I began before adding, "Just…don't scare off the customers hon."

"Me, scare?" she asked, batting her eyelashes innocently while smiling brightly. The blonde hair and startling blue eyes damn near sold it too, if it was for the longer then human canines. "Now what would even make you suggest a silly thing like that?"

She actually wouldn't, not really. I had to say in her other form she was even less terrifying. Honestly, a fox shifter, not exactly striking fear into the hearts of the innocent.

Welcome to Fairly Odd, the place to for everything that's out of place. Run by a few people who fall under the same category.

Hey! Don't give me that look! I know that look. Trust me, I get it a lot. No, I'm not offended. A little annoyed perhaps, but it'll past. You've got the 'aha, they MUST be evil look.'

Wrongo.

We're not evil so much as…out of place. I've been a necromancer for 10 years. It's not something you choose like paint or curtains. You just get it, like Crohn's disease. There's no rhyme or reason. One morning your biggest concern is that C- in World History. The next your worrying about going to school with an army of dead animals following you like a conga line from hell.

But that was a long time ago. Since then I have gained great control over my…less then savory talent.

There are barely a handful of people in my life that know this and still love me. Jeff; my human comfort blanket, Britt; my psychotic German, Amy; my halfling, and Vera, my soul sister. All of us lived together, save for Zane, but that's a whole nother story.

It was never a problem. I mean, ok, we had our share of tiffs, but nothing serious. Safety was in numbers, and we were never safe. Not really. Living under one roof just assured us that when we weren't getting kidnapped or almost killed, that we knew where each other were.

Our house was plenty big enough as well. Jeff and Amy, dating for 5 months, naturally bunked together. Britt has the attic; her choice not ours. Then Vera and I have our own rooms, though we share when need be. We never mind, and we've never had a fight. Ever. I know, it defies all logic and nature.

Sort of like myself. My name is Sonya Nyx. I do not look like a Sonya at ALL. Sonya is Scandinavian, some one like Britt or Vera. I look more like a Vera. A discussion my self-proclaimed sister and I have had many times. My hair is a deep chocolate brown that is always in waves no matter how hard I try other wise. Ask me and I'll say my eyes are the same boring brown shade. Anyone else will attest that they have this gorgeous rim of gold as well, apparently it's beyond my own sight. At 5' 4" I am not imposing either. But when your power is death, you don't need to be a giant. Just stand and glower, usually works pretty well.

When I came back to reality Jeff, once working vigorously on his laptop, and Brittney, once strumming along the notes to Breaking Benjamin's Evil Angel, were all looking up at something in complete stillness that animals get when stuck in the head lights. The utter surreal ness that makes you want to poke them just to make sure they're not some stuffed facade.

"What are we looking…" but the sentence was never finished. I looked up, and my chestnut eyes were practically covered with liquid gold now. Feeling the rise of power inside me as my orbs gazed on this handsome entity that had entered my shop. He was tall, at least 6 feet. Short black hair well styled, wearing dark blue jeans and a black shirt with matching boots. His impossibly green eyes locked with mine as Amy and Vera joined the others in the stare-fiesta.

He was so…woah. I've never felt such instant attraction before. Seriously.

It was why I wore all black. I didn't WANT a boyfriend. My outfit today perfectly conveyed that, a pair of men's black TRIPP pants paired with a black camisole. Matching fishnet arm warmers graced my skin. Silver rings were on every finger. The only color I wore was a lovely rainbow teardrop shaped opal on a silver chain around my neck.

Slipping down off the counter from my Indian style position, I book-marked my page in Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs to attend to our customer. Even as I did so my "co-workers" were giving me looks. WTF looks. Why, I had no idea.

"How can I help you?"

He laughed, giving me a grin that was both devious and kind all at once. For the first time in fuck knows when I wished I was wearing color.

"Well for _starters_, I'm looking for an amulet."

Oh fuck, AND he was flirting with me.

"Occult section," pointing him in the right direction before adding "I'll be with you in one moment."

"I'll be waiting."

I watched him walk away, interested for the first time in forever, before turning back to my friends, who were trying to communicate via sign language. Britt was gesturing all frantically, Jeff was trying to make me read his lips, and Vera was writing with her fingertip in the air. It looked like 'bee on.'

What?! There's a BEE on my head?! I shook myself off, earning an odd look from tall dark and drop dead gorgeous. Great; now he thinks I'm crazy. I shot a death glare to my housemates before facing Captain Hotness with a shy smile.

"Yeah, there was a bee. I think. Maybe. Don't ask. Anyway! What sort of amulet are you looking for exactly?"

"Protection; something with an added peace factor would be better."

Interesting combination. Though despite these odds I was pretty sure we actually had something. Our occult section is very varied and..well…unique. Particularly because we stock it for our own use as well.

"Try this," I said, plucking a charm from the shelf.

"Hematite brings inner calm and the Celtic cross protects." The pendant was on the usual one-size-fits-all black chord, about the size of a quarter. An equal armed cross surrounded by a circle of eternal Celtic knots was carved into the hematite piece.

"Perfect."

"Anything else?"

"There is one more thing," he added, running a hand through his black hair. If he looked nervous I'd say it was habit, but he appeared anything but. Cool as iced tea.

"And what is that?"

"A date. With you."

Speechless didn't even begin to cover it.

"A date? I don't even know your name."

"Cole Turner. Just coffee?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

"Well Cole," I began, fighting back my own grin, "I am a coffee addict."

Which was entirely truthful. Both Vera and I had to get our coffee fix every day, or suffer the consequences of caffeine withdrawal.

"Is that a yes?"

"Well tonight I'm going to the Baker street rave with some friends. If you want, you can meet us there?"

"Sounds great. See you at 9, Miss?"

"Sonya Nyx. At 9."

I watched as he paid for his purchase and left with a smirk that my cheeks burn. Me! Blushing! I thought the odds were lesser than the Source turning good.

"Ok, what's with the sign language you guys could just _whisper_?!"

"He's not human!" Jeff exclaimed, almost falling off the counter he was sitting on.

Now it was my turn to glare.

"Oh, and you are?"

"Soni, there was something," my soul sister began, "A great big dark something."

"Sound just like everyone of us."

It was a quarter till 8. Rarely do we even get customers after 7:30, with the exception of a possibly evil attractive male that is. Couldn't blame it on the upcoming Halloween either, we were still in the first week of October.

No one could argue with my last comment either. This night was looking up even more so.

"Alright then. Lets lockup for the night and get ready for the parte."

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real_

Today was one of firsts. First time I accepted a date from a customer, first time I wore color out of the house in a year, _and_ the first time I was nervous about what to wear out of said house in a year.

"Sonya for the last time you look amazing, now lets GO!"

_So let mercy come  
And wash away  
What I've done_

I didn't know what to expect from her tonight. She obviously had no idea of the full extent of her powers. Of what lied ahead.

What I definitely did not expect was to be so taken with her. Despite her kindness she still carried this air of defiance. It clung to her movements in a fiery grace, silently daring anyone to stop her.

As the mass of sound overwhelmed me I could see it, a passionate energy she wielded as she danced with her company.

She spotted me, a soft smile graced her pale-pink lips as she did so. Before I could reach her my ears popped as if some change of altitude.

We had company.

_I wanna let go of the pain I've held so long_

Goddess damnit.

My eardrums still ached from the sudden change in power level of the room. Cole's was there as well, but this was something else. Something sickly evil, like a dark mass of pure, boundless, amoral hatred.

Fucking demons.

My eyes met Vera's and in that instant we knew it was time to go. In a sort of line of hand holding, to stick together, me and mine headed out the backdoor to the alley. Cole would be safer left out of all this, and the safer we were, the better.

As soon as we were outside Brittney and Jeff shifted to their other forms. Britt being a red fox, and Jeff; a golden coyote. Keys in mouth, they took off for the cars, leaving Vera, Amy, and myself to protect ourselves.

We made it a few feet down the dimly lit path, the usual creepy foreboding atmosphere of every alley you'll ever be unfortunate enough to stumble in, before they appeared in our path. Two of them, both suits. The usual black-on-black lack of color scheme, like a male dress version of 99.9 percent of my wardrobe.

"Hello Miss. Nyx."

"Hello obnoxious demon flunkies of the Source. How's Hell?"

"Drought season. How's the dead tricks?"

"Peachy. What the fuck do you want?"

Don't even be surprised, the random pre-battle banter is apparent in about 90 of my demonic encounters.

"What the Source always wants Miss Nyx, you."

"Sorry, I'm not exactly your property. So kindly tell the Source for the thousandth time to shove it."

"Yet, perhaps."

Did he even HEAR the last line of my statement? Source, fuck self, go!

"I could kill you where you stand," I glowered back, dark chocolate eyes now complete pools of liquid gold.

I wasn't kidding either, I could. Zane taught me how. Still, it wasn't something I used very lightly. The technique was very…gruesome. Once upon a time I had to wear gloves every minute of every day, or cause necrosis to all I touched. That was back when I believed if I suppressed my power it would simply go away on its own. I know better now.

"Ah, but you won't. You still possess that pathetic weight of a conscience."

Damn, he knew me better then I thought.

"We won't lose any sleep over vanquishing you soulless bastards," Vera began, "Now you can't find some other necromancer to annoy?"

"None quite so charming as your beautiful friend."

Athame in hand, I contemplated my next move.

"Besides, your more than a mere master of the dead. You are the next Akashan."

"The WHAT?!"

"You have no idea of who you are, of what's to come."

"And she doesn't need to find out from the likes of you," replied the handsome voice of Cole Turner. When the **hell** did he get here?

"You dare stand between us, traitorous halfling."

"Oh, I'll do more then that."

"Lets put your word to the test," said the one on the left. As he stepped into view under the light I could see he had short-spiked black hair and a thin moustache-goatee combo. His partner's was shoulder length and clean-shaven. Both exhibited the same hollow black ink pools for eyes.

"Or," Amy suggested, "We could run like hell."

Vera nodded, "I second that plan."

_I'll face myself  
To cross out what I've become  
Erase myself  
And let go of what I've done_

"You couldn't just stay out of this, could you?"

"Is that some kind of a joke Belthazor?"

"Its Cole now, and no."

"Well, we will have to do something about that then," Tok added, hefting an athame in hand.

"Vera, Amy, banishing spell? Anytime now would be good," Sonya hissed, an attempt at discretion.

"Running would be better!" Vera suggested. How could they be so…inept? Sonya, on the other hand, had this spark in her eye. At least one of them had a plan.

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm close to something real_

Screw this. I had my own plan

Moving as years of _Shisei kai kan _had taught me, I kicked the athame out of his hand and elbowed him in the solar plexus. A knee to the groin and a hit to the voice box took out the other for a few moments as well. Added magic to my fighting also gave an extra point on my part, leaving them in twice the pain as they should have been in.

"Ok, we run now," said Amy, bolting out of the alley towards the main road. Vera and I ran after her. I was personally amazed by the mobility I retained in my black leather pants. They went well the bright lime-green halter AND helped me kick ass. Note to self: buy more with next paycheck.

_I start again  
And whatever pain may come  
Today this ends  
I'm forgiving what I've done_

How the hell did she just manage that in leather pants?

Run first, questions later. It used to be kill first, but that was another lifetime.

"You can call yourself any pathetic name you wish," Tok laughed, struggling to regain his footing with little avail, "But you will always be Belthazor."

"You know nothing of my true self."

"Neither do they."

Lucas smirked, waving his demonic athame as if to scold a disobedient child, before throwing it with deadly accuracy the necromancer's retreating form.

It was a setup.

"Sonya!"

_I wanna find something I've wanted all along  
Somewhere I belong_

I turned around just in time for Cole to tackles me to the ground, pinning me beneath his rugged form. The threat of imminent death even kept my hormones from interpreting as otherwise. What the hell was with the 'save the president' dive?

"Oh! Oh! There's blood!" Vera exclaimed, trying to mask her excitement with shock.

I pulled my hand away from his black shirt to see that it was indeed crimson. Son of a banshee!

The source of the wound was an athame deeply imbedded, up to the hilt, in his shoulder blade.

"Are you alright?" he asked, attempting to get up with his good arm, before letting out a painful groan and settling back down beside me.

"Am **I **alright?!"

Who the HELL…nevermind. Heal first, questions later.

At that moment I heard the sounds of two cars screeching to a stop. One a black Jeep Sahara, the other a candy apple red Mazda Miata. Grabbing his good arm, I draped it over my shoulders and pulled the injured somewhat human to his feet. In this same manner I managed to get him in the Jeep.

Jeff was at the wheel, short curly brown hair ruffled and mused, wearing only a pair of jeans. Apparently he wasted no time in redressing. His blue eyes were a little glassy from the sight and smell of the blood.

"What—"

"Just **drive**" I fought not to scream as the suits appeared just outside the alleyway. He did as I asked, leaving only a set of tread marks behind as we broke every speed limit home.

(just started writing this last week and I'm deeply obsessed. Not exactly sure what the ultimate finale is, but I have a semi-vague idea of where its headed. My deepest apolagies for the lack of COS updates. I AM working on it, its just becoming very slow work. No I will NOT let COS die, its just going to take me longer then usual to post it up for awhile. With that said, please go leave me reviews!!!)


	2. Passion's Killing Floor

**Disclaimer: **see Chapter 1. Songs used are Evanescence- Haunted, The Only One.

**Shades Of Gray**

Chapter 2: Passion's Killing Floor

_Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
Still can't find what keeps me here _

Careful to lie him down on his front, I set Cole down on the living room couch. Brittney ran off for the first aid kit, Amy was setting up the protection wards, all while Vera was watching our house guest with unnerving intensity.

Me? I was screaming.

"Zane! Get your ass down here and tell me what the fuck is going on! ZANE!"

As Amy came in with Jeff, sans crystals, said helpful pain in the ass shimmered in. His eyes were their usual luminescent shade of stormy grey, no white what so ever. Coffee black hair flowed down his back, even farther then mine, clad in his usual charcoal robes and sigil of the gateway medallion.

"You rang?" he replied, casual as if he'd stopped by for a cup of tea and biscuits.

"Person, demon, guy—heal! And then you have a _fuck load_ of explaining to do. Both of you," I added, glaring the last at Cole, who merely did something resembling a shrug.

If one could shrug using one shoulder while lying on his stomach, then that's what the mystery man on my couch did. Apparently he actually thought I deserved a decent explanation from him. That was a shocker, honestly, it was.

"Alright, but perhaps we should take care of our other half demon first."

I looked to the left of Zane to see Vera, head cocked to one side as she watched the blood flow, licking her lips in hunger.

"Vera…" I asked cautiously.

She snapped back, so quick it looked painful. Her Nordic ice orbs were now a deep garnet, iris and such showing in variant shades of vermilion. I did not have time to deal with this. So, I called on the one person who never disappeared at the most inconvenient times.

"Jeff!"

He burst forward and grabbed an arm, his half-demon girlfriend seizing the other. She remained unaffected, but Amy wasn't a blood demon either. Together, they hauled her off to the basement and out of sight.

As Zane took a second glance at our houseguest, that head angled to one side in thought as he set about patching him up.

"Correct me if I'm wrong Turner, but aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"I was. Fate changed, among things."

"Did the evil part change or should I just kill you? Actually no, stain the sofa. Throw you outside, _then_ kill you. Yeah, that's not a bad plan."

"Hey, slow down. I'm not evil anymore. Why else would I have taken an athame for you?" he asked, looking up at me in what was without a doubt an attempt at innocence. Though it was just that, an attempt. He was far from innocent, a fact that made my heart pound in a staccato rhythm that had nothing to do with fear.

In fact I could think of a lot of answers to his rhetorical question, and none of them he would like. Instead of responding, I turned to Zane, who nodded in confirmation.

"Thanks for that. Now what the fucking hell is an Akashan?"

_Never understood this life.  
And you're right, I don't deserve_

The sorcerer and I exchanged a look. The 'should I tell or should you?' look. I knew it well.

"Every 50 years," Zane began, "a human is selected to be a new elemental. Normally its one of the usual four; earth, fire, water, or air. However, once ever 5,000 years an elemental is chosen of the fifth, Spirit; an Akashan. Chosen to wield the forces of the universe itself."

Breaking the rule just this once, I delved into her mind. Thoughts laid out before me, I heard them loud and clear:

_'I can't believe it.. Seriously, one of you has to be mistaken. Myself and two badass Wiccans barely survived an encounter with two measly suits, and that was with the aid of another halfling! There is no way on Goddess' green earth I am powerful enough to be this omnipotent witch.'_

"You've got it all wrong. I'm just a lousy necromancer!"

"Don't you ever wonder where your power comes from?" I asked, sitting up so the ancient alchemist could wrap my wound while the potion took effect.

I left her next thoughts to her own mind. The power was another gift by the Shades. When she trusted me enough, it would disappear. By her current status, I calculated that wouldn't occur anytime soon.

"Mef this. I'm going to pass out in Vera's room. Cole, you can take mine. And don't even try arguing with me your wounded no if ands or buts will get you out of it even if yours is exceptionally hot and holy Hecate I'm shutting up now GOOD NIGHT!"

_I won't let you pull me down _

With that said I bolted up the stairs, almost falling only twice, and made it to the bedroom without landing flat on my face. Yay me!

Stripping off my leather pants and radioactive green halter, my clubbing clothes were abandoned for much softer pastures in the form of a soft grey yoga pants set with matching tank top. My body curled up in a tiny ball under the soft down comforter of my bed. Thoughts dissipated as dreams took its place and sleep succumbed me.

_Watching me, wanting me  
I can feel you pull me down_

I was drowning in sounds, overwhelmed completely by shouting, banging, yelling, screaming. Pounding on my walls, determined to breach the boundaries. All demanding one thing.

Me.

"No, you don't want me. I'm not an Akashan. I'm just not!"

And from the dim static of speech one voice came through loud and clear.

"You are"

I shot awake, caked in sweat despite the chill of the autumn night. Sleep wasn't going to come back easily. This I knew to be true. Hence, I resigned to make my way downstairs to the kitchen. There was one thing I could always count on to calm me down. Its in the fridge and its not milk.

_So afraid to open your eyes, hypnotized.  
You know you're not the only one_

I could hear her through the wall, talking in her sleep. She could deny it all she wanted, but try as she may there was no escaping her destiny.

_Fearing you, loving you  
I won't let you pull me down_

The crystals outside were in a constant radiance, white light clearly visible from the window I stood by, sipping down my Hawaiian Tropic wine cooler by B&G. Those quartz points only glowed when something was trying to break it down.

Dreams are never just fiction for me. Being chased by plastic flamingos and escaping via 67 Impala driven by the Winchesters, that's merely an overactive imagination. Being attacked by servants of the Source who want to join them or die, that's a jumbled form of reality.

Speaking of, that voice at the end was nagging at me. My first instinct was Zane, but he wouldn't have been so discreet. He would have just appeared and fucking told me. So that left only one suspect…

_Don't look down,  
Don't look into the eyes of the world beneath you_

She looked ethereal standing by the window, framed by the moonlight. Its glow gave her a heavenly appearance, but she was definitely no angel. A fallen one perhaps. Must have been why demons constantly barraged her life, always underestimating her.

Unnoticed, I watched as she brought a single red rose back from it withered state inside a sparkling crystal vase, a black light immersing the flower as she did so.

"A little late night magic?"

"Hardly. I'm just exercising my powers. It's either this or an army of road kill. This smells prettier," she stated, her voice calm and even as if she were discussing the daily forecast rather then the reanimation of dead matter.

"Yet you think your not powerful enough to be an Akashan," I added, making it sound like the question it was as I laid a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. How was I to do that, I didn't have the slightest idea. But the Shades seemed to think otherwise, so here I was, aiding the next Akashan on her path to greatness. Hey, it beats hell. A lot.

_When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
I know you're still there_

I didn't notice him before; it bothered me. Embracing my power, I could sense anything magickal, and anyone. Somehow I was so distracted a resurrected half-demon ex-Source eluded my senses. What was I coming to?

"Any necromancer can do what I do. It's nothing special, honest," I stated, doing my best to ignore the tingling sensation of electricity of my skin where his fingers lay.

"There's no need to be humble, though it is an attractive quality."

Setting down the now empty bottle, I turned to face him. Coffee orbs shot with gold met his own twin emeralds as I backed away from his touch.

I tried not to notice his state of appearance, which of course only made things worse. Walking around without a shirt of any kind should be a crime for this man.

"Don't. There is nothing attractive about me. No comments about me will save you because my looks do nothing for me. I am disgusting, a being of death who brings only food for the raven's wherever she goes. So don't you dare call me attractive when all I attract is evil and chaos."

"That's not entirely true. I'm not evil or chaotic, and you've attracted me."

"Well—that's because…your…just..being an ass-kiss so I'll protect you from the Source. Ha!"

"For the last time, I'm not evil anymore! I don't work for the Source now, or anyone demonic for the matter. Is it really that hard for you to believe that people find you attractive?"

Hmm…let me think about that.

"Yes!"

"How could that possibly be?" he began, cutting me off before I could get out a syllable with "and your necromancy does not count."

Damn him back to where ever the fuck he came from. I did not want to have a 'lets share our pain' talk at 2 in the morning with a possibly evil yet extremely attractive half-demon, especially one discussing my previous boyfriend.

"I had a bad experience."

Not my best, but running on 2 and a half hours of sleep, I think I deserve a little leniency.

"Define 'bad experience'."

Oh you little—

"An experience of….badness!" I stated blandly, trying not to sound too desperate as I moved around him towards the staircase; to my escape. His hand wrapped vice-tight around my wrist, impeding my movement.

"Let me go," my voice cold and bitter as I spoke the demand.

"That was a lousy definition."

"What do you want?"

"A name."

"King Richard the III, now will you let me go?" My smart-assery earned a grin. Cute. No not cute; sappy. Mmhm, very sappy. Yeah, that's it.

"No, the name of the man who did this to you."

My first instinct was to start ticking off the various names of the image of the Powers That Be, starting with Kristo. Then my mind suddenly formed an actual plan, revolving around telling the truth. That was a first.

"Phillip Halliwell."

I think he would have been less shocked if I said Pope Benedict the Third. Luckily, my stratagem worked. His hand fell away as the weight of this fact him hit like silver to shifters. Before he could even begin to say "relatives of the Charmed Ones" I was up the stairs and far beyond his reach. Doing everything but run, I bolted into bed; silently as not to wake Vera, and drifted back to sleep.

There I dreamt of pains past, death, and a certain seductive almost human.

_A/N my deepest apolagies for the late updates. Stuck in Utah for the past week with no internet. Said time there spawned a new fanfic as well, though I have no idea where its going. I have much more of this written, just not typed. I will try to post it in my usual deadline. Now please, go leave me reviews of love!!! Many many thanks to everyone who's reading this!!!!_


End file.
